Funnels used to assist with filling substances into containers with small neck entrances are well known. In fact, funnels have been adapted for specialty use in many various environments, such as in kitchens, in automotive garages and in industry. The containers themselves into which substances are desired to be funneled are very different. Some have screw on openings that fit caps of certain sizes and configurations, such as varying size bottles. Some are smooth such as filler tubes in the automotive industry. The corresponding funnels made to adapt to different situations have been configured to mate to the various sizes and configurations of the filler necks of these containers. Other than a basic funnel, without any specific mating ability, but merely having a small stem opening that can fit into a small neck opening of a larger container without any stabilization feature, none of these funnels are a one size fits all. The basic one size fits all funnel that has no specific mating properties towards the filler necks of a container are highly unstable and must be independently secured (even hand held) so that it does not wobble around during filling and it cannot function as a pourer to neatly pour substances within the container back out.
Today, as a result of a recent explosion of water consumption driven by marketing convincing the public of the many benefits of bottled water and its purity and safety, it is commonplace for folks to buy, carry and use water bottles of all varying sizes and configurations. Some people like individual bottles. Some people like larger bottles because of the cost savings. Some people like ‘wide-mouth’ bottles because they are easier to drink from.
Another recent trend, again as the result of marketing, is the desire to add nutrients, flavorings and other ingredients into those water bottles. The varying bottle sizes and corresponding neck dimensions and configurations make certain funnels made to work in one situation unable to work in other situations.
Moreover, it is inconvenient to carry a multitude of tools simply to add these ingredients into a water bottle. It would be useful to have one small, simple, inexpensive, universally adaptable funnel that securably attaches to any size and configured water bottle for adding these ingredients. It would be even more useful if that same tool could also function to allow the water, with the ingredients added and blended, to be poured neatly back out of the bottle into individual drink containers or cups.
There have been many attempts to solve the universal funnel problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,195 titled FUNNEL IMPROVEMENT, discloses, “an improved funnel construction which is adaptable for rigid attachment to containers with various size filler openings.” This disclosure requires annular ridges of various sizes and configurations such that the adaptive funnel essentially screws onto the container to be filled.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,396,606 titled FUNNEL, discloses, “a novel form of funnel mainly designed for filling radiators or automobiles and the like, the principal object of the invention being to provide a funnel whereby water can be poured into the radiator without spilling the same over the radiator and without wasting any through the overflow pipe of the radiator.” This disclosure also shows a collar, detachable from the funnel allowing the funnel to rest supportably on the radiator opening no matter the size of the opening. However, this disclosure teaches that the funnel merely balances itself, not that it is securably stabilized.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,025 titled INVERSAL FUNNEL ADAPTOR, discloses, “an adapter for stabilizing a funnel in the opening of a container consists of a body of metal or plastic which contains a central bore internally threaded at each end for accepting the threaded stem of a funnel. The body is externally threaded on one end to engage internally threaded container openings and at the other end contains an internally threaded cavity to engage externally threaded container openings.” This disclosure is not actually a funnel, but a funnel adapter and requires a specialized funnel with a threaded stem. Moreover, all adaptations of the adapter are screw on threads of varying size configurations.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. D738,169 titled, FUNNEL, discloses an ornamental design of an ordinary funnel that has “stepped protrusions disposed on the external surface of the spout portion.” Essentially, this disclosure teaches an ordinary funnel wherein the small circumference stem comprises sequentially larger stepped protrusions that allow the stem to be more secure within the filler opening of varying sized and configured container openings. However, this mating configuration does not result in a watertight or airtight seal; it is merely for adding stability to the funnel sitting in the opening.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,987 titled CONTAINER ADAPTER, discloses, “a container adapter for feeding human infants and animal infants is shown. The container adapter has an internal threaded portion that can comprise a set of thread segments sized and configured to match the external threads of a commercially available soda or bottled liquid container, and can have an external threaded portion sized to match the internal threads of a standard nipple ring for an infant feeding bottle. The container adapter includes a funnel that provides a user with assistance in inserting infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container by placing the container adapter on the liquid container to use the funnel of the container adapter to place infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container. The container adapter is then inverted and installed onto the liquid container. A nipple within a collar is attached to the container adapter thus converting the liquid container to an infant feeding bottle.” This disclosure teaches utilizing varying sized threads, internally and externally disposed, to utilize a liquid bottle as a baby feeding bottle. In all configurations, it requires threading the device on existing screw threads of the liquid bottle.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,399 titled DRINK BOTTLE FUNNEL, discloses, a “a drink bottle funnel for attaching securely to a drink bottle to facilitate pouring flavoring into the drink bottle includes a main portion formed by a circumferential wall having a top opening and a bottom opening. A tubular connection portion extends from the main portion around the bottom opening. An interior surface of the connection portion has interior surface threads. Thus, the connection portion is designed for threadably engaging the threaded neck of a drink bottle.” This disclosure, like the last reference, teaches threading the device on existing screw threads of a water bottle. It has only one size. Its main advantage is that it can screw onto the water bottle right side up so that it can be used as a funnel and then also inverted so that it can be stored on the water bottle when not in use. It has outer threads as well to accept a cap to close the configured bottle. It is not adjustable and fits only with a properly sized and configured water bottle.
Finally, in another example, U.S Patent Application, Publication No. US 2009/0107582 titled DETACHABLE FUNNEL FOR WATER BOTTLES, discloses, “a detachable funnel apparatus for use with a container has an open wide end, an open narrow end, and sidewalls connecting the open wide end to the open narrow end whereby materials poured into the open end pass through the sidewalls and out the open narrow end when the detachable funnel apparatus is coupled to the container. The funnel is configured to removably affix to the container when stored by a coupling mechanism on the inside of the funnel such as a ring snap to create a snap connection between the funnel and a neck ring on the container or threads to connect to the threads on the container normally used by the cap of the container.” This disclosure, similarly to the last reference, teaches a funnel that threadably secures to a water bottle and also inverts for storage purposes. This disclosure also teaches a snap connection, but only in the inverted storage configuration, requiring the threaded connection to maintain a watertight seal for filling, or, if in an unthreaded configuration, acting as a normally non-watertight funnel merely resting in the opening of the bottle to be filled.
None of the foregoing references, alone or in combination, teach the salient and proprietary features of the present disclosure. While there are many funnels that adapt to various sized container openings, they all address or require a threaded connection believing this necessary for both a stable, secure connection and a watertight connection. There are other adapters for funnels, but they require specially threaded funnels. And, where pouring is a desired functionality, only specifically watertight threaded connections that require specificity in dimensions and configuration have worked. There remains a need for a simple, universal funnel, that requires no threaded connection, that nevertheless when attached is secure for hands free operation, and is watertight such that not only will no spillage occur during filling, when in place, the funnel is secure and watertight enough that it can act as a pour spout, as well.
The present disclosure teaches several embodiments of a funnel that can adapt to various sized container openings and configurations, without any screw on threading (indeed, there are no threaded screw ridges taught in this disclosure), such that the funnel simply fits into place, is secure enough for hands free filling, is also secure enough that it will remain in place for pouring and act as a pour spout, and detaches as simply as it fit into place. This disclosure teaches a funnel that has the foregoing properties whether fitting a small individual water bottle or a large mouth bottle or larger gallon jugs and the like.